Crisp crust, delightfully delicious flavor, rich and nutty. (Why did I wait so long to try making this?!)

Last October, I used Guinness beer in another bread, trying a recipe for Dark Malted Bread with Dried Fruit from Martha Rose Shulman’s book, Great Breads (this bread had a terrific depth of flavor from the Guinness barm (poolish) and blackstrap molasses). (Thanks to MC for posting about Martha Rose Shulman’s beautiful breadsticks, another reminder for me, of Ms. Shulman’s book I had been neglecting):

I adapted the formula, including a preferment:

One last bake with Guinness!: this cake, Sticky Toffee “Pudding” from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Heavenly Cakes, also included Guinness beer. This cake was really delicious, with the Guinness-soaked dates and butterscotch toffee sauce :^)(my apologies in advance…unfortunately I did not get permission to share the recipe but if this cake interests you I hope you can get access to the book):

Hi lumos, Thanks for your compliments and kind wishes!I'm sold on using beer as a liquid for preferment/dough - it's making some very tasty bread.That cake was a good one - used some moist, dark demerara sugar for the toffee sauce - the sauce has a touch of fresh lemon juice which cuts the sweetness a bit. Delicious.Wishing you the best with this resolution, and any others!:^) from breadsong

I never realized that bubbly included Guiness but obviously I was just thinking wrong. You've totally convinced me. Gorgeous loaves and cake. I love the scoring in the top picture and I'm fascinated by what the taste must be like. Great loaves for the new year. -Varda

Hi Varda,This article in Modern Baking about Pain à la bière talks about using different kinds of bubbly for the bread (different varieties of beer, sparkling cider, champagne)...sounded like a great idea to me :^)I remember these beautifully-scored loaves of yours, and should try scoring like that for my next batard.The flavor of Katie's stout and flaxseed loaf is delicious and the crumb soft and moist; it tasted nice and nutty, almost as though there were sesame and sunflower included.Thanks so much for your comment!:^) from breadsong

Beautiful, as always, breadsong. Love the cross section of that batard: has the same diameter as a football. All you need is one good quarterback and you could long pass that beauty all the way into your neighbour's yard. Wish I lived next door in that case!

It all looks sooo good, I'm torn between the gorgeous crumb and cracking crust of your breads and the sinfully rich look of the Sticky Toffee Pudding. Your posts are always such a feast for the eyes, but this one is a knockout breadsong! I keep going back to the "Guiness soaked dates and butterscotch toffee sauce" you mention and imagine just how tasty that combination must be. Somehow, some way, I'm going to have to source that recipe and try it out for myself. :^) Thanks for another awesome post and all the best for the New Year.

Hello Franko and thank you so much!These stout and flaxseed loaves sang quite nicely when I took them out of the oven and this made me optimistic for the crust.This bread was a joy to discover, along with Ms. Shulman's fruit bread, and of course that cake.Wishing you the very best for 2012 also!:^) from breadsong

Hello Andy,Many thanks to you for posting about Faye's and Katie's breads...both absolutely delicious...and for your good wishes!Best wishes to you too, for your studies and baking, in the New Year.:^) from breadsong

Hi Phil,I too really liked the color of the malted fruit bread's crumb, nice and dark; there was a depth of flavor, almost bitter?, that played nicely against the sweetness of the fruit.I'd wait awhile before making that cake again - lots of sweets here, too, over the holidays :^)The cake was baked in October - but enjoyed it very much then.Thanks so much for your comment - and wish the very best for you and your baking in the New Year too.:^) from breadsong

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